Healing Begins
by whiskets
Summary: When Cameron is injured and in the hospital, and Chase is unable to come to her aid, Thirteen comes to help. While on medication, honest Cameron asks her a very important question. Season three-ish of House. One-shot. Chase/Cameron/13 PG/PG-13 rating or "T" for safety. Spoilers for nothing in particular.


Title: **Healing Begins**

Pairing: Cameron/Chase, Camteenish/friendship

Summary: When Cameron is injured, and Chase is unable to come to her aid, Thirteen comes to help. While on medication, honest Cameron asks her a very important question. Season three-ish of House. One-shot. Cameron/Chase/13

Rating: K+/PG

Warnings: Couple of swear words, slight description of injuries.

* * *

Curiosity.

Curiosity had Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley standing over a patient in the ICU. Monitors and machines beeped around the room. Thirteen was holding the medical chart, flipping through the forms, which she could barely read in the darkness of the room. She flipped on the bedside lamp, noting that the woman lying in front of her didn't move under the sudden glare. Judging by the woman's pallor, she had lost a lot of blood, which the young doctor confirmed on the chart. She sighed and replaced the chart at the foot of the hospital bed. She walked around to the side of the bed near the window, glancing at the door. She had already shut the sliding glass door. The blinds had been pulled closed by someone else.

Thirteen reached a hesitant hand towards the sheet that covered the patient's body, stopping at her chest. She pulled it back to the patient's hips, revealing an edge of the hospital gown. Gently, the young doctor began to bring the gown up but was stopped by the sudden movement of the hand that grasped her wrist. Thirteen jumped as the monitor noted an increase in heart rate.

"Mmmm…" Dr. Allison Cameron mumbled, eyes not opening. She held onto Thirteen's left wrist with her right hand.

"Allie…? Can you hear me?" Thirteen asked, concern narrowing her eyes as she assessed her.

Slowly, Cameron opened her eyes. She smiled fuzzily at the younger woman. "Remy…? What…are you doing…here?"

"Allie, we're in the hospital. Can you let go of my wrist?"

Surprise filled the other woman's eyes. She let go and settled her hand back on the bed. Thirteen rested her hands on the attached bars of the bed. She felt the weight of Cameron's gaze on her. After a long moment, Cameron spoke. "I'm…sorry. I didn't know…" she trailed off, closing her eyes again.

Thirteen smiled slightly. Morphine was a wonderful thing. Gently, she reached down and brushed some of the hair off of Cameron's face; an unusually affectionate gesture from the closed off woman. She revealed the small set of sutures over Cameron's left eye. At Thirteen's touch, Cameron opened her eyes again.

"Sorry…medication. What…was I saying…"

"I'm not sure, Allie," Thirteen admitted. "I wanted to see how injured you were, but House," she made a face, "just started being…" she shrugged.

"House," Cameron finished for her, a ghost of a smile on her face.

Thirteen's tone grew serious. "Dr. Cameron, can I check your wounds?"

Cameron quirked an eyebrow at her proper title and nodded once. "Get…a mirror…I want to see… too."

Thirteen smiled and pulled a small compact from her lab coat. "I thought you might," she said, handing it to Cameron. Thirteen activated the hospital bed, laying it flat. She met Cameron's eyes with her own, briefly, before pulling the gown up, stopping just below her breasts. There was a large piece of gauze covering Cameron's side stretching from the gown to her right hip. Thirteen peeled back the medical tape holding the gauze there. Marring Cameron's perfect skin were twenty-five stitches. The skin surrounding the stitches was purple and black with bruises.

Thirteen hissed, a quick intake of breath at the sight.

"Jeez, Allie…"

Cameron frowned as the younger doctor helped her steady the hand holding the mirror.

"Whoa…" Cameron exclaimed softly. "I guess my ribs are broken, too?" Thirteen didn't reply; Cameron could tell they were simply by the pain caused by taking a too-deep breath. She shut her eyes and reopened them, breathing shallowly. The stitches were still there, as was the pain the injuries caused. Thirteen moved around the room, collecting the required materials. She cleaned the stitches and reapplied the gauze, before helping Cameron pull her gown back into place. She replaced the compact and pulled out the pocket light all doctors kept on them.

Cameron used her thumb and two fingers to massage her temples, closing her eyes. She froze when she felt the tickle of the stitches over her eye. She carefully inspected them with light fingers. She counted five in all. Thirteen maneuvered Cameron's bed into an upright position before checking the older doctor's vision.

"How does your head feel?" Thirteen asked, again using the professional tone.

"Actually, it feels worse…than when I woke up," she admitted, shutting her eyes once more. Thirteen reached over and turned off the bedside light. Cameron heard the light click off.

"Try now?" Thirteen suggested. Cameron opened her eyes and sighed in relief.

"Better, thanks."

"It's the medication and…the concussion," Thirteen explained. "It's making your eyes sensitive to the light." She gestured to the windows, with their shades drawn, and to the door, with the blinds closed.

Thirteen paused, looking at Cameron. She looked very vulnerable with her pale face bruised and stitched, laying in the dark in the ugly green hospital gown, in a bed that dwarfed her.

"What…?" Cameron said, smiling uncomfortably.

Thirteen shook her head, breaking her train of thought. "I…nothing." Thirteen stepped around the bed, turning her back to Cameron and pretending to check the monitors.

Cameron reached out and caught Thirteen's arm. Slowly, Thirteen turned towards the other doctor.

Despite the drugs, Thirteen noticed Cameron was looking very intently at her. Her eyes seemed clear as she took in the young doctor.

"Remy…do you…like me?"

Thirteen smiled. "You know I do," she said, teasingly.

Cameron shook her head carefully. "No…I mean…_like _me, like me…?" she asked, maintaining eye contact with the other woman.

Thirteen stepped closer to the bed. She inhaled Cameron's gentle perfume along with the sharp sting of antiseptic coming from the room. She gazed down at the blonde and grasped Cameron's hand that didn't have tubes attached.

"Allison…I love you…"

Cameron swallowed, eyes sad. She kept her gaze on Thirteen's face. Thirteen smiled slightly and shook her head. "But not like that…you're like the big sister I never had."

In response, Cameron squeezed Thirteen's hand. "Thank you…Remy," she said, her eyes lightening, the potential burden of unrequited love lifted from her slender shoulders.

Thirteen continued. "I know you don't like me, romantically." She raised both eyebrows at Cameron. "Despite what porn would have us believe, a straight woman and a bisexual can be best friends," she paused, smiling at her, laughing with her eyes, "without benefits." She winked. Cameron started to laugh and then made a face at the pain it caused. Thirteen dropped her hand gently and stepped over to the machine that doled out medication, changing the dosage.

"I just didn't want to see you sad," Cameron said as her eyes closed unwillingly. "Will you…stay here…?" she whispered.

Thirteen smiled softly. "Sure, Allie," she said. "But I'm going to take some precautions," she spoke, even though she thought Cameron was no longer listening. "The last thing either one of us needs is one of House's _other _lackeys seeing us and assuming anything."

She opened the door quietly and stepped outside, grabbing one of the male nurses, someone who was friendly with her. She told him that she was taking over Cameron's case. She also told him that the room was not to be disturbed, unless he heard directly from her. He smiled at her genuinely, understanding that it was purely one friend looking after another and stated he understood her instructions. Thirteen took out her phone and sent Chase a text, letting Cameron's husband know that she was being looked after. Her phone rang a second later. It was Chase.

"Dr. Hadley? What the hell happened?" Chase's voice was livid, his accent rough with emotion. "Why is Allison in the hospital?"

Thirteen gulped. She should've known. "Wait…Dr. Chase…no one told you?"

"Hell no! Don't you think I would've been back already? Charlotte's only nine hours away!" He yelled.

Thirteen put her best professionally clinical tone into use. "Allie had a car accident. A semi-truck pulled in front of her and she tried to avoid it, but it was too late. Frankly, Dr. Chase…she's lucky to be alive. Her car slid underneath the trailer. The airbag deployed. They had to use the jaws of life to get her out." Thirteen took a breath, listening to Chase on the other end of the line.

"Chase…you still there?"

He exhaled loudly. "Yeah, Thirteen, I'm here. Are you sure," his voice cracked. "Are you sure…she's okay…?" he whispered bleakly.

She nodded, knowing he couldn't see her. "Yes. She's okay. House had us working on her without us knowing about it." She heard him breathing. "So he's watching out for her, too…y'know…the way he does. Dr. Wilson was the one who told me and he said House knew as well. I thought he would've told you…"

"Yeah, me, too," Chase remarked dryly, anger in his voice. Thirteen knew that House was in for a rude awakening when Chase returned.

"Remy…thank you. I'll be there as soon as I can."

She cautioned him to drive carefully and he promised to take a cab before hanging up. She looked at the phone for a moment before pocketing it.

Thirteen opened Cameron's door and grabbed the "Do Not Disturb" sign from the backside. She placed it on the front of the door before closing and locking it.

* * *

The click of the lock resounded in the room. Cameron didn't open her eyes as Thirteen adjusted the bed. She opened a cabinet and grabbed one of the spare pillows she found there. She lowered the bed railing and climbed into the bed beside her best friend. Cameron felt the bed jostle and opened her eyes. She smiled hazily at Thirteen and leaned into her.

"I called Chase. Did you know that House didn't even call him?"

"Hm…that…sounds like House," Cameron murmured from Thirteen's shoulder.

"What…did Robert…say?"

"He's taking a cab and will be back very soon," Thirteen reassured her friend.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you up in an hour," the younger doctor ordered.

"Mmmkay…" Cameron sighed, snuggling into Thirteen. Thirteen laughed quietly. Doped-up Cameron was a sweet Cameron.

"Remy…?" Cameron spoke softly.

Thirteen turned to look at her, surprised she was still awake, given the increased medication.

"Yes, Allie?"

"I'm glad you're my friend…" Cameron finished, dozing off. Thirteen smiled down affectionately at the older doctor.

"Me, too."

Thirteen set the alarm on her phone and closed her eyes, matching Cameron's breathing. She was comfortable around this woman, the one she had grown to admire and respect, the one she thought of as family. Family was important, she reflected. She smiled to herself. Her last thought, before she joined Cameron in slumber was happy. _Sometimes,_ Remy thought,_ you were lucky enough to choose _who_ was in it._

* * *

A/N: What'd y'all think? All kinds of disclaimers here: #1. I have seen two episodes with 13 in them and while I liked her character, I truly do not have a great grasp on her.

#2. I really wanted more women on the show who could be able to hang out with each other, develop friendships, hell, go shoe shopping, whatever. I didn't foresee Cuddy and Cameron ever developing that type of relationship (though again, I'm only mid-way through season three), so I decided to use Olivia Wilde's character and write my own. Sorry if that means 13 is OOC.

Oh, yeah, and despite my better judgment, for some reason, Cameron and Chase are married in this. I don't know why. I'm not the boss of me.

Thanks for reading and…pretty please review! Thanks y'all.

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Music: "Healing Begins" Tenth Avenue North

"This is where the healing begins

This is where the healing starts

When you come to where you're broken within

The light meets the dark…"


End file.
